Offered New Job - Don't Know What To Do

Moncs_2

I am currently working as an IT Engineer, based from home and travelling around Scotland, I spend 2 or 3 days a week at home doing some IT support over the phone.

The job itself is VERY easy and sometimes a little boring, we are currently going through a rollout which means within the next year or two all the IT support for the centres in Scotland can be remotly controlled from our HQ in London and that means I will be home almost every day and my job will become less and less technical (and probably even more boring), I can even see the job (possibily) becoming redundant in 2 to 3 years.

The best thing about my job is that I am always home before 4pm every day and I get to spend good quality time with my wife and 2 young girls (6+4) during the week, the money is ok, it pays the bills, puts food on the table and allows us to put about £100 away in savings each month. (It also has a final salary pension scheme).

I have been offered a new job, which from a career point of view would be a good move, as its more techical, there is training involved and the pay is better (£2k more p/a). There is a few downsides to the new job which is putting me off.

The extra £2k would be used up in desiel/maintenance by using my second car to get to work

The travel puts me off slighty as its only a 15 mile trip to work, however at rush hour, it will take around 45mins

Its a very small IT dept, which means I am responible for everything, which a lot of people would love, however in all my previous positions I have been in a team so if I never knew how to do something, there was always someone there to assist and offer advice

So, Im really unsure what to do, the new position offers a stakeholder pension scheme, 8.30 until 5pm Mon-Thurs and a lunchtime Friday finish.

I love the freedom and time with my family that my current job gives me, however I know from a career point of view it is going nowhere and the new position offers me the chance to further my career.

I have never really been career minded, always preferred having time with the family rather than working all the hours god sends for money.

So Im in a little dilemma and unsure what to do, my wife is happy either way and my friends understand both sides of my agrument.

Scarlett1

oh go for it, more responsibility and room for promotion, a little more money, pension scheme, and still getting quality time with your family at 5pm onwards and weekends :T

Graham_Devon

I'd go for it. Being completely in charge of it all aint such a bad thing, I am at mine, but then theres always other people, forums etc you can link to, and you can't possibly know everything.

To be honest IT for me has turned more financial> I enjoy the financial side of business a lot more than telling someone that in order to stop the computer beeping they need to remove the heavy object from the keyboard. Get's a little tedious.

bristol_pilot

When changing jobs for career development reasons, which I have done a couple of times, I look for at least a 15% immediate increase in salary - otherwise the move may not be worth the hassle involved in changing jobs and the risk that you will simply not get on in the new job. You don't say what the £2k is in percentage terms, but it seems possibly a bit low (?).

Another factor to consider is where your starting salary in the new job is in relation to the salary scale for that job. If it is near the bottom, that is good because there is a lot of headroom for progression. If it is near the top then BEWARE - companies sometimes stretch the salary offered to new recruits in order to recruit good people but once you are there you may find you cannot progress much further.

Why not ask the new Company if they can stretch a bit on the starting salary? Especially with small companies, it is worth a try. Aim to get at least a 15% increase over current job.

One more thing - if your current job has a cushy final salary pension scheme it is probably NOT a good idea to move.

Good luck.

bristol_pilot

I've just re-read the original post and spotted that the OP's current job DOES have a final salary pension. This could be worth effectively 20% of salary, depending on the details. This makes it very likely that it would be best NOT to take the new job.

Oldernotwiser

bristol_pilot wrote:

I've just re-read the original post and spotted that the OP's current job DOES have a final salary pension. This could be worth effectively 20% of salary, depending on the details. This makes it very likely that it would be best NOT to take the new job.

I agree; the pension situation seems to be crucial here. The only upside of the new job seems to be that the OP is a bit bored at the moment and who's to say this won't be true in the new job. Quality of life wins hands down every time, in my opinion.

Moncs_2

Oldernotwiser wrote:

I agree; the pension situation seems to be crucial here. The only upside of the new job seems to be that the OP is a bit bored at the moment and who's to say this won't be true in the new job. Quality of life wins hands down every time, in my opinion.

Yes, my current job does indeed have a final salary pension scheme, my current pay is £24,200. My new job offered me £26,000 which is at the top of the scale.

The new job appears to be a lot better from a career point of view, however as I would have to keep a 2nd car (which currently gets paid by my current works expenses), if I took the new job, the extra £1.8k per year would be used up with the maintenace and upkeep of the car, so in reailty I would be slighty worse off every month.

I have spoken to them this morning and said that the job is ideal for me and I would love to take it, however due to the fact of the 2nd car I sadly can't.

You never know, I might get a phonecall later today offering me more money. (cant see it as £26k was at the top of the scale)

I'm just worried now that I have made a bad decision, as I mentioned in my original post my current role could possibily become redundant in 2 to 3 years time, then i will be wishing I took it.

Oldernotwiser

The trouble is, you need a crystal ball to look into the future; it could be the new job that goes pear shaped and you could be "last in, first out". Who knows? If you do end up staying in your current job, which gives you quite an easy life, could you not put some of your energies into gaining new skills or further qualifications in your field? This might give you the challenge that's missing in your current life and also make you more employable if the situation you foresee should actually happen. Once you're in a more demanding job you would find this harder; now might be your best chance.

Moncs_2

Oldernotwiser wrote:

The trouble is, you need a crystal ball to look into the future; it could be the new job that goes pear shaped and you could be "last in, first out". Who knows? If you do end up staying in your current job, which gives you quite an easy life, could you not put some of your energies into gaining new skills or further qualifications in your field? This might give you the challenge that's missing in your current life and also make you more employable if the situation you foresee should actually happen. Once you're in a more demanding job you would find this harder; now might be your best chance.

I am, Im using my spare time to study for my MCSE, so should the worst happen in a few years, I will have a very good qualification behind me

ckerrd

I think you are right to turn them down.
This looks like a short term gain but no real future potential.

Moncs_2

I went back to them and said that I now can't accept it due to financial reasons, I said an extrra £1k or £2k would be ideal however I understand they have thier salary bandings etc.

Its a shame as I would have loved the job, every time I think about it I change my mind and its really annoying me. Tempted to go back and say I'll take it, but they would probably tell me to get lost!! lol